Superparticular numbers are ratios of the form (n+1)/n, or 1+1/n, where n is a whole number greater than 0. In ancient Greece they were known as Epimoric (επιμοριοσ, epimorios) ratios, which is literally translated as "above a part."
These ratios have some peculiar properties:
The difference tone of the dyad is also the virtual fundamental.
The difference (i.e. quotient) between two successive epimoric ratios is always an epimoric ratio.
The sum (i.e. product) of two successive epimoric ratios is either an epimoric ratio or an epimeric ratio.
Every epimoric ratio can be split into the product of two epimoric ratios. One way is via the identity 1+1/n = (1+1/(2n))*(1+1/(2n+1)), but more than one such splitting method may exist.
If a/b and c/d are Farey neighbors, that is if a/b < c/d and bc - ad = 1, then (c/d)/(a/b) = bc/ad is epimoric.
Curiously enough, the ancient Greeks did not consider 2/1 to be superparticular because it is a multiple of the fundamental (the same rule applies to all natural harmonics in the Greek system).
These ratios have some peculiar properties:
Curiously enough, the ancient Greeks did not consider 2/1 to be superparticular because it is a multiple of the fundamental (the same rule applies to all natural harmonics in the Greek system).
See: List of Superparticular Intervals and the Wikipedia page for Superparticular number.